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News Release

UMBC Volleyball Prepares for NJIT Highlanders Challenge This Weekend

9/11/2008

Freshman Alyssa Lang has been named America East Rookie of the Week two weeks in a row.

The UMBC volleyball team travels to Newark, N.J. Friday to play in the NJIT Highlanders Challenge. The Retrievers (5-3) will look to bounce back after a tough loss to Villanova Tuesday night. UMBC faces off with host NJIT Friday at 7 p.m. before playing Loyola and Sacred Heart Saturday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.

The Week Ahead:

Date                 Opponent                     Time:

9/12                  at NJIT                          7:00 p.m.

9/13                  vs. Loyola                      10:00 a.m.

9/13                  vs. Sacred Heart            2:00 p.m.

The Past Week:

Date                 Opponent                     Result:

9/5                    Niagara                         W, 3-1 (25-18, 25-15, 22-25, 25-16)

9/5                    UMES                           L, 2-3 (22-25, 26-24, 20-25, 26-24, 11-15)

9/6                    Duquesne                      W, 3-1 (25-15, 25-13, 22-25, 25-13)

9/9                    Villanova                       L, 0-3 (26-28, 24-26, 22-25)

On the Highlanders: NJIT comes into the tournament riding a two-match winning streak after defeating Wagner, 3-0, Tuesday night. Baaba Hughes leads the Highlanders with 2.08 kills per set, while Danielle Thompson directs the offense with 76 assists.       

UMBC vs. NJIT All-Time: The only match between the two schools came last year, as the Retrievers won the match, 3-1. Sophomore Sabrina Hoeks had one of the best matches of her freshman campaign, coming within one service ace of earning a triple-double, leading UMBC with 20 kills, 14 digs and nine service aces.

On the Greyhounds: Loyola comes in with a 2-6 record, after defeating Morgan State, 3-0, Tuesday night. The Greyhounds are led by Nicole Scimeme and Nina Camaioni, who have 55 and 54 kills, respectively. Their offense is quarterbacked by Samantha Greenbaum, who has 161 assists on the season. Karlee Woodward is a force at the net, leading the team with 33 total blocks, including 14 solo blocks.      

UMBC vs. Loyola All-Time: The Retrievers lead the long-standing series, 43-13-1, and have won the last 20 match-ups. The last Greyhound victory came in 1992.

On the Pioneers: Sacred Heart comes into the weekend with a 4-3 record, having won three out of four at the Sacred Heart Invitational last weekend. The Pioneers are led by Maile Herthington, who averages 3.54 kills per set and was named the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week for the week ending Sept. 7. Courtney Kidd-Kadlubek directs the Pioneer offense with 9.62 assists per set.       

UMBC vs. Sacred Heart All-Time: The Retrievers have won all five matches between the two schools with the last win coming in 2006.

DAWG BITES

Lang Takes Home Second Straight America East Volleyball Rookie of the Week

UMBC volleyball freshman Alyssa Lang has been named America East Conference Rookie of the Week for the week ending Sept. 7.

It is the second week in a row Lang has earned the award. Lang continued her outstanding freshman campaign by winning back-to-back rookie of the week awards to open the season. Last week she led the Retrievers with 48 kills (3.0 kps) and was second on the team with 39 digs (2.44 dps). Lang recorded her third double-double of the season in a victory over previously-unbeaten Duquesne Saturday night, earning 11 kills and 14 digs. She recorded 14 kills each against Niagara and UMES on Friday. Against Howard on Tuesday, she added nine kills against only three errors and a team-high eight digs. Lang is averaging 2.93 kills per set for the season, the top number for an America East rookie in 2008.

Retrievers Moving Up the Charts

Both junior Sarah Ball and junior Ashley Oscars are closing in the top 10 in career kills in UMBC history. Oscars currently has 787 while Ball has 731 in her career. The 10th spot is currently held by Tracey Cullins with 791. Both players are in the top 10 in career attacks as well. Oscars currently holds ninth place with 2,343 attacks, with Ball close behind in 10th with 2,269.

Junior Kira Giles currently ranks sixth all-time in assists at UMBC with 2,073. With 48 assists in the victory over Duquesne, Giles became the sixth player in UMBC history with 2,000 assists or more. The next highest is Judy Jackson with 2,481.

Junior Bridget Scheetz has moved into seventh place all-time in Retriever history with 143 assisted blocks for her career. She needs 14 more to move into sixth place.

Lang Named First America East Rookie of the Week for 2008

UMBC volleyball freshman Alyssa Lang earned the America East Conference Rookie of the Week award for the first week ending Aug. 31.

Lang is the first recipient of the Rookie of the Week award for the 2008 season, and the fourth Retriever in a row to win the first conference weekly award. Sophomore Bridget Scheetz earned the first weekly rookie award in 2007, while juniors Kira Giles and Sarah Ball took the awards in 2006 and 2005, respectively.

Lang ranked as the top freshman in the America East in aces with seven, digs (2.75 dps) and kills (2.83 kps) last week. She picked up her first two double-doubles of her collegiate career Saturday in the Tribe Invitational where UMBC went 2-1. Lang was named to the All-Tournament Team for her efforts, which included a 13-kill, 10-dig performance against Appalachian State, and 17 kills and 19 digs against Eastern Michigan.

RETRIEVER STAT PAK

2008 Double-Doubles

Name                           Total 1             Total 2             Opponent

Kira Giles                      32 assists         10 digs              Appalachian State

Alyssa Lang                  13 kills              10 digs              Appalachian State

Kira Giles (2)                 55 assists         24 digs              Eastern Michigan

Sabrina Hoeks               19 digs              18 kills              Eastern Michigan

Alyssa Lang (2)             19 digs              17 kills              Eastern Michigan

Kira Giles (3)                47 assists         10 digs              UMES

Kira Giles (4)                 48 assists         10 digs              Duquesne

Alyssa Lang (3)             14 digs              11 kills              Duquesne

Individual Highs

Stat                  Mark    Name                           Opponent

Kills                  18         Sabrina Hoeks               Eastern Michigan

Assists             55         Kira Giles                      Eastern Michigan

Digs                  31         Pam Jarrett                   Eastern Michigan

Total Blocks      10         Bridget Scheetz             Duquesne

Service Aces     4          Bridget Scheetz             Niagara

UMBC in America East Chars (As of 9/8/08)

Hitting Percentage

     Name                      Stat

9.   Sarah Ball               .273

Kills per Set

     Name                      Stat

8.   Alyssa Lang                        2.93

10. Ashley Oscars         2.70

Assists per Set

     Name                      Stat

4.   Kira Giles                9.62

Service Aces per Set

     Name                      Stat

2.   Pam Jarrett              0.46

7.   Bridget Scheetz       0.37

Blocks per Set

     Name                      Stat

2.   Bridget Scheetz       1.00

3.   Sarah Hill                0.94

5.   Sarah Joy                0.92

Digs per Set

     Name                      Stat

3.   Pam Jarrett              3.54

Retrievers in the All-Time Charts (As of 9/11/08)

UMBC Career Assists

      Name                                 Assists              Years

1.   Lanae Baker                        4,722                1995-98

2.   Megan Gross                       3,647                2002-05

3.   Heather Hollidge                   3,034                1999-00

4.   Joy Figueredo                      2,501                1990-91

5.   Judy Jackson                       2,481                1993-94

6.   Kira Giles                           2,073                2006-Present

7.   Stacey Pirotte                      1,272                1992

8.   Tracey Cullins                      1,153                1988-91

9.   Stacey Carroll                      1,128                2004-07

10. Carla Miala                          570                   1997

UMBC Career Kills

      Name                                 Kills                 Years

1.       Kelly O’Brien                       2,161                1990-93

2.       Lisa Cline                            1,869                1995-98

3.       Megan McNamara                1,536                1995-98

4.       Dana Eberly                        1,311                1993-96

5.       Jocelyn Teoh                       1,288                2001-04

6.       Rehena Rentuma                 1,064                1986, 88-91

7.       Joanne Marshall                   988                   1996-00

8.       Kara Welniak                       955                   1997-00

9.       Jennifer Davis                      912                   1999-03

10. Tracey Cullins                      791                   1988-91

      Ashley Oscars                    787                   2006-Present

      Sarah Ball                         731                   2005-Present

UMBC Career Attacks

      Name                                 Attacks Years

1.       Kelly O’Brien                       5,055                1990-93

2.       Lisa Cline                            4,403                1995-98

3.       Megan McNamara                4,188                1995-98

4.       Joeelyn Teoh                       3,458                2001-04

5.       Dana Eberly                        3,172                1993-96

6.       Tracey Cullins                      2,593                1988-91

7.       Joanne Marshall                   2,590                1996-00

8.       Rehena Rentuma                 2,534                1986, 88-91

9.    Ashley Oscars                   2,343                2006-Present

10.  Sarah Ball                         2,269                2005-Present

UMBC Career Assisted Blocks

      Name                                 AB                    Years

1.   Kara Welniak                       299                   1997-00

2.   Jessie Folk                          245                   2003-06

3.   Jennifer Davis                       227                   1999-03

4.   Dana Eberly                         191                   1993-96

5.   Jocelyn Teoh                       180                   2001-04

6.   Ashley Hargrove                   157                   2005-06

7.   Bridget Scheetz                 143                   2007-Present

8.   Rehena Rentuma                 129                   1986, 88-91

9.   Anna Gibbs                         124                   1992-95     

10.  Lisa Cline                           124                   1995-98